The White Cliffs of Dover are so called because of the chalk that gives them their characteristic color. They're considered one of the UK's most iconic landmarks -- having been the site of the first arrival of the Romans and the return of rescued British soldiers during WWII -- and are also an important natural habitat. They face the Strait of Dover and France in the southeastern part of England.

'"If we don't raise the money then the future of the White Cliffs is uncertain and this stretch of coastline might one day be disrupted by inappropriate management or development," Fiona Reynolds, director general of the National Trust, told the paper.

Visitors are already able to walk the stretch of the cliffs in question, reports the Daily Mail. But, because part of the stretch is privately owned and arable land comes close to the edge, there's little room for a path.

"We own pockets of land either side; but it's a gap in the middle, and from a wildlife point of view you have a gap where you go into farmland and there's not much we can do for wildlife or for people," Brian Whittaker, acting property manager for the cliffs, told the BBC.

If the trust is able to purchase the section, it will be able to restore the natural habitat, giving animals more space to retreat as the cliffs erode.